Riddings Infant and Nursery School

Overview

Riddings Infant and Nursery School is described as a “happy school with a great emphasis on kindness,” where pupils are “enthusiastic learners” who “thrive” and achieve well academically. The inspection found that the quality of education, behaviour, personal development, leadership, and early years provision are all rated as Good.

Strengths

• Early years provision is strong, with a “sharp focus on developing their communication and language” and effective phonics teaching that helps pupils become “fluent readers.”
• Staff know pupils well, providing “nurturing support” that helps children recognise feelings and overcome worries, while governors offer “secure oversight” and challenge the school effectively.
• The curriculum is carefully mapped to build knowledge over time, with pupils gaining leadership skills through roles such as the “pupil parliament” and learning about responsibility and environmental causes.
• Parents “highly recommend the school,” particularly valuing the support provided to families and the joyful, cooperative atmosphere during playtimes.

Areas to improve

• The school must “sharpen assessment” because information from learning checks is not consistently used to adapt teaching or address misconceptions, meaning pupils’ knowledge is “not as secure as it could be.”
• Teaching is not always adapted sufficiently for pupils who complete activities easily, meaning their knowledge is “not deepened when it could be.”

Safeguarding

The report states that “the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.”